'I saw Doc two days ago and we got to say goodbye. His body didn't work anymore. He was in bed and he wasn't able to do anything... now he's up there with the real angels,' Mr Bidstrup said.

Double J presenter Myf Warhurst says the band has gone on to influence other artists both in Australia and abroad.

'The Angels were a big influence on the likes of the Guns N' Roses, who the band opened for at one stage, and other groups like Nirvana and Sound Garden,' she said. 'They all didn't mind a bit of The Angels, so I think their reach was global, even though predominantly their success was Australian.'

In 1999, Neeson stepped aside as frontman of The Angels because of a spinal injury.

He was diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumour just before Christmas in 2012.

Neeson's tumour was surgically removed and he began intensive rounds of radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

'It was a shock of course when somebody puts a use-by date on me, but I still hung on to a shred of hope that I'd get back on the stage at some point,' Neeson told Australian Story.